COTABATO CITY — Four individuals, including the alleged maintainer of a drug den, were arrested after anti-narcotics authorities dismantled an alleged illegal drug-use venue during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Rosary Heights 10 on October 27, 2026.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) led the operation through its Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Office, in coordination with several units of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Authorities identified the four arrested individuals by their aliases: “Bai,” 34, a woman allegedly maintaining the drug den; “Meek,” 34; “Mhad,” 32; and “Unay,” 37. The three men and the woman are all residents of Cotabato City.
The operation received support from the City Drug Enforcement Unit of the Cotabato City Police Office, the 1st Mobile Patrol of the City Mobile Force Company, and the PNP Drug Enforcement Group–Special Operations Unit 15.
During the operation, law enforcement personnel confiscated 15 sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu. The seized substance weighed approximately 30.4 grams and had an estimated street value of ₱206,720, according to authorities.
The operatives also recovered cellular phones, buy-bust money, and various drug paraphernalia believed to be connected to the alleged drug activities at the location.
The dismantling of the suspected drug den highlights the continued enforcement of anti-narcotics laws in Cotabato City, where authorities are targeting not only the sale and possession of illegal drugs but also locations allegedly used for their consumption.
The four suspects are expected to face charges for alleged violations of Sections 5, 6, 7, 11, and 12 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. These provisions cover the unlawful sale of dangerous drugs, maintenance of a drug den, employees and visitors of a drug den, possession of dangerous drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia, respectively.
The allegations against the arrested individuals remain subject to the legal process. Their guilt must be established in court.
Authorities have not provided further details on the suspects’ alleged roles beyond the identification of “Bai” as the suspected drug den maintainer, nor have they disclosed whether additional arrests are being pursued in connection with the operation.
The case underscores the importance of sustained law enforcement efforts against illegal drug distribution and the operation of drug-use facilities, alongside the need to ensure that arrests and prosecutions are supported by admissible evidence and due process.